Myanmar's election commission says it is canceling by-elections that were planned for later this year.

Myanmar - also known as Burma - announced in March that it would call by-elections before the end of the year to fill 35 seats in parliament that were vacated for various reasons.

Union Election Commission chairman Tin Aye said at a media briefing in Yangon Sunday that the election would have no political significance and would be a waste of time and money that could better be spent preparing for the 2015 general election.